Wyoming awarded $600 million in federal stimulus

GILLETTE – So far, more than $600 million in federal economic stimulus funds have been awarded to Wyoming.

Jerimiah Rieman, Wyoming lead for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, reported today to the Legislature’s Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development interim Committee.

He said that the state applied for $900 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was intended to stimulate the economy and create jobs. Wyoming has been awarded $600 million and spent $150 million.

Rieman said the state calculates that 639 jobs were created or preserved. That is using the federal methodology for calculating jobs through hours funded.

Committee co-chairman Sen. Grant Larson, R-Jackson, questioned the accuracy of that federal system.

“I don’t care about hours. I want to know how many jobs were really created,” he said.